Monday, March 24, 2014

Brimstone Completes Drone Test Trials

MBDA has successfully demonstrated the operation of Dual Mode Seeker Brimstone (DMB) missile from an MQ-9Reaper Remotely
Piloted Aircraft (RPA), scoring nine direct hits against a range of
targets including very high speed and manoeuvring vehicles. The main
advantage of Brimstone
is its dual-mode operating capability, combining millimetre guidance
with semi-active laser targeting, enabling the operator to accurately
designate a target, after the milimeter-wave seeker locks on the
designated target the missile independently follows that target
independent of further laser designation, through the engagement. The
tests pave the way for the deployment of the weapon on Britain’s MQ-9Reapers.
Beyond their use with aerial platforms, Brimstones were also been
tested on fast naval crafts, fired against speedboat simulating swarm
attacks.

MQ-9 Reaper carrying six Dual-Mode Brimstone missiles. Photo: MBDA

The trials began with captive carry of Avionics and Environmental
Data Gathering Missiles, proving the successful integration of the two
systems and gathering additional evidence to support future clearance
activities. These were quickly followed by a series of live Operational
Missile and inert Telemetry Missile firings. The firings were taken from
realistic ‘middle of the envelope’ profiles; typically 20,000ft release
altitude and 7km – 12km plan range, with the platform being remotely
piloted in operationally representative beyond line of sight (SATCOM)
conditions, with tracking and designation of targets being conducted in a
mixture of manual-track and auto-track modes. Two of the more
challenging scenarios were against trucks travelling at 70mph in a
crossing target scenario. At times, the targets were manually tracked
by the REAPER crews, showing how the integrated Semi-Active Laser and
Active MMW radar seeker works in tandem to ensure direct hits, even
while operators are tracking and designating targets manually over
satellite communications. “Every Operational and Telemetry missile
performed as designed” MBDA
announced, ”Following the successful demonstration Brimstone can now
provide more flexibility to Reaper operators, reducing collateral damage
risk while retaining first pass, single shot lethality against high
speed manoeuvring targets on land, at sea and in complex environments.”

A Brimstone missile hitting a target moving at a speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). Photo: USAF Big Safari

The original Brimstone missile used a milimeter-wave seeker to defeat
massive armor formations in ‘fire and forget’ engagements. Royal Air
Force (RAF) Tornado GR4 strike fighters were fitted to carry clusters of
Brimstones, to kill multiple tanks in a simultaneous attack. DMSB,
the new variant of the missile was optimised to engage asymmetric
threats, by turning the fire-and-forget missile into high-precision
weapon combining some ‘man in the loop’ capability, allowing the
operator to designate the target for the missile, in case the MMW seeker
couldn’t lock or was looking elsewhere. In an asymmetric engagement, ‘man
in the loop’ function enables the operator to correct a missile that
locks on the wrong target, divert the missile to an alternate target or
order the missile to abort attack, hitting a pre-defined area, thus
avoiding collateral damage. In addition to the dual-mode seeker
capability, Brimstone fired from Tornado GR4 demonstrated the ability to
engage, from a high off-boresight, targets travelling at up to 70mph.
The targets were engaged from longer ranges, without the need to revert
to straight and level flight, whilst operating in Close Air Support
(CAS) role. These tests were carried out by the RAF in October 2013.

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The use of MMW seeker enables the
missile to effectively engage moving targets, a task that would require
multiple Hellfire missiles. MBDA
is employing a focussed, low fragmentation warhead optimised to defeat
targets from Fast In-Shore Attack Craft Fast In-Shore Attack Crafts
(FIAC) to fast moving armored or unarmored vehicles. In Libya, those
characteristics reportedly made it one of the few weapons NATO
commanders could use to hit enemy armored vehicles in urban areas.
MBDA
is lobbying the USA to select the Dual Mode Brimstone missile to arm
the Reaper drones operated by the US government, as an alternative to
pursuing further investment in the Joint Air-Ground Missile (JAGM). This missile, developed by Lockheed Martin,
was designed to replace Hellfires used by all US military services but
is currently pursued only by the Army. It will also employ a dual-mode
seeker combining the Hellfire laser seeker and Longbow MMW radar seekers
in a similar way the utilised by the Brimstone.

MBDA
is lobbying the USA to select the Dual Mode Brimstone missile to arm
the Reaper drones operated by the US government, as an alternative to
pursuing further investment in the Joint Air-Ground Missile (JAGM).

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About Me

Over 20 years of continuous R&D "GIZMO'S & GADGETS DEVELOPMENT" including project engineering, design, research & prototyping development in all facets of technology especially communication systems. Published Author as well.
Also known as "Q".....The Gadget Man